A hundred yards from the road was a dense copse of undergrowth and bushes on the edge of the forest.

Off to the east flowed the majestic Rhine, a league distant, and to the north ran the road like a white ribbon, stretching downhill to the valley and up again to the top of another hill, distant perhaps a half-league.
While we were eating dinner, a cloud of dust arose from the hilltop north of us, and immediately began descending in our direction.

At intervals, in the midst of the dust-cloud, we caught glimpses of men on horseback riding at full gallop.

This unwelcome sight brought our dinner to an end.

I at once ordered the sumpter mules taken to the copse on the forest's edge, and directed every man to look to his arms and armor.
I asked Twonette and Yolanda to go with the mules, and Yolanda became angry.
"_I_ go with the mules?
Sir Karl, you forget yourself," cried the young lady, drawing herself up with the dignity of a princess royal.